Landscaping: Clearing brush/garden and planting grass

[excell]

We bought a house, and the back yard was once a very nice english style garden with topiary plants, ferns, ivy, etc. Over the years as the folks we bought it from got older, they maintained it less and less. Now it's pretty overgrown and gangly. The yard sits mostly under a few large trees, partly on the side of a slope/hill, and is very shaded -- some parts don't get any direct sunlight. I want to nuke the whole thing and plant grass. To do so, I will also have to truck in probably 20 tons of top soil to increase the level of the flat part of the yard, and grade it out properly. I've been doing some research and have thought out a plan, but I know we have a lot of folks experienced with this here so I want a critique of the plan and make sure I'm not going about this incorrectly.

 

This fall as things start to die off:

1) Pull/cut/mow/destroy all of the plants and dig out the largest of any roots;

2) Spray the whole area with Roundup or similar plant killer;

 

In the spring:

3) Till the existing soil;

4) Cover with plastic;

5) Truck in the top soil and grade;

6) Plant the seed with a protective layer (I know this part well)

 

Do I have the timeline right or should other steps be done in the fall? Like, maybe I should go all the way through step 5 this fall and then plant the seed in the spring. Also, for a 100% shaded area I was thinking of Scott's dense shade mix or similar. What else am I missing?

 

Thank you

[o0n8]

You got it right. You don't' want to plant seeds after spraying round up, you'll just kill your seeds.

[cstmg8]

I'm just confused on the "cover with plastic" part?

I'd be tempted to spray everything now. Better chance of getting the roots while it's actively growing. It'll be easier to clear out with it dried up as well.

 

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[BrianZ06]

Cut it down now and spray it while it is still growing . Then go back over it again after a few weeks with more spray. I guarantee one spray will not kill everything if there is that much to kill. I also want to know the reason for using the plastic.

[SpaceGhost]

I'd make sure the grade of the land is not there for proper drainage before leveling anything out. Westerville for instance has grade and drainage tolerances everywhere.

[cdk 4219]

First be careful with the roundup, it can also hurt large trees, and runoff can kill downstream plants off of your yard. Shaded sloped grass areas are difficult to maintain as well. Fall and spring are the hardest on the grass. Too much moisture in the spring, not much sun year round, and in the summer with leaves the trees will not allow moisture to get to the ground. Add to that in the fall the trees will extract most of the moisture in the soil.

All of this and a slope it's usually some sort of watering system in the area, overseeding in the fall,as well as correct choice of seed. Killing in the fall sounds good, but the weeds will probably grow quickly in the spring, and if you till the seeds back in the soil and weed rate goes up.if you can't get the grass to grow quickly, the weeds will move in fast, then you will have a mess.

Topsoil is great, but some contains weed seed , and keep in mind that it will compact to around half volume quickly, so what looks good when you finish may not be good next year. you may want to take the plants out this fall, roundup early spring, and topsoil and seed after that.

[excell]

Good feedback. I hadn't thought about the Roundup hurting the trees or running down the slope and killing the grass and stuff there as well. Maybe a light application of it now/soon while the plants are still alive, then cut them all back after they die and till.

 

The plastic is a barrier to prevent weeds from growing back under the new topsoil. Maybe it's overkill?

[jeffro]

I'm just confused on the "cover with plastic" part?

I'd be tempted to spray everything now. Better chance of getting the roots while it's actively growing. It'll be easier to clear out with it dried up as well.

 

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This. Where is the water going to go when it rains? a few inches of soil can only hold so much water. A simple weed and feed two or three times a year would probably take care of the weeds.

[Gergwheel1647545492]

The plastic is a barrier to prevent weeds from growing back under the new topsoil. Maybe it's worthless, pointless, and stupid?

 

fixed. seriously the seeds come from above and that's how they grow, not from way down under brand new topsoil.

[excell]

Got it. No plastic. Haha

[SRTurbo04]

Cut it down now and spray it while it is still growing . Then go back over it again after a few weeks with more spray. I guarantee one spray will not kill everything if there is that much to kill. I also want to know the reason for using the plastic.

 

Agreed, I cut down 100 feet long by 15 feet deep by 8 foot tall of brush/crud and I have been battling all summer to get that stuff to stay dead. Might take you a while to actually get it to not grow back.

 

In My opinion (correct me if im wrong) I wouldn't put down any thing to grow until you know the stuff is dead and not going to come back, cause if it does come back you just wasted time and money on seeding and have to kill it again.

[jeffro]

Agreed, I cut down 100 feet long by 15 feet deep by 8 foot tall of brush/crud and I have been battling all summer to get that stuff to stay dead. Might take you a while to actually get it to not grow back.

 

In My opinion (correct me if im wrong) I wouldn't put down any thing to grow until you know the stuff is dead and not going to come back, cause if it does come back you just wasted time and money on seeding and have to kill it again.

 

You need to seed. the grass will choke out the weeds.

 

If you just spray and spray, the dirt wont even be able to sustain grass growth.

[SRTurbo04]

You need to seed. the grass will choke out the weeds.

 

If you just spray and spray, the dirt wont even be able to sustain grass growth.

 

 

You sure that's how that works? (no really im asking cause it doesn't make sense but then again i dont know ) Its not just weeds, its actually plants and stuff too that keeps coming back.

 

I would think stuff would grow through the grass just like weeds and stuff that grow through the grass. and to kill them off would kill off the grass around it.

[RCode04]

You don't need to use round up either. there are products that will kill weeds and not grass.

[2pointslow]

Remove 6 inches of top soil, truck in new topsoil and then lay sod.

 

Problem solved

 

 

 

But $$$$

[Turbs3000]

You can really do the whole thing in the spring. It depends on if it's really as bad as you make it sound but if so I'd hit it with a weed killer 2 times this year, best done via back pack sprayer but you can also get the bottles that hook to the hose with decent success. cut all the plants back early fall so they stand a chance to survive if you want them too, start bagging the lawn to prevent everything from dropping more weeds. Then in the spring I'd mow it really low and rent a sod cutter and cut out all the bad spots. Fill and grade everything with fresh soil and seed it.

Also if the grass is really heavily shaded think about making a bed in that area as you'll probably always fight grass growing there.

 

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[BrianZ06]

First off use the round up. Round up binds to the soil and will not move. It is a systemic (will only kill on leaf contact. Round up has a 10 day or less residual that lets you plant seed also. Most products that are a selective type herbicide will not work as well and are more harmful in many ways and will not let you seed as quickly as round up. Edited August 24, 2016 by BrianZ06

[BrianZ06]

Just to clarify round up really does not have much of a residual for planting new seed but you should wait the 7-10 days to let it do its job killing the plants/weeds.

[Mojoe]

Round up has been an on going battle and cause of cancer with agricultural communities. I stopped using it a couple years ago and have had good results with home made combinations, like this http://thethriftycouple.com/2014/05/31/diy-alternative-for-weed-b-gone-or-roundup-homemade-recipe-is-effective-and-safe/.

 

Unless you are fighting a very invasive weed or growth, like cattails, you probably don't need a harsh chemical, like round up. And if you have pets, or are in a suburb, that's even more reason to avoid using it. Treat it while it is growing, as was said, to get to the roots. Gloves, eye protecting and clothing to cover your skin is a must. I messed with some crazy stuff a few years ago, and the mist from the sprayer ate the gloves and hazed the glasses I was wearing.